Screw-slotting machine.



C. E. BOTENSTEIN.

SCREW SLOTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IuNEz. IQII WITNESS IM/ /M ATTORNEY CHARLES E. BOTENSTEIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SCREW-SLOTTING MACHINE.

Mesero.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BOTEN- s'rEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Screw-Slotting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to screw slotting machines, and among the objects in view is the provision for feeding the screws continuously and sawing the slots therein, with means for cutting a slot of suitable size, determined by the size of the screw.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a View showing a `plurality of belt conveyers between which the screws are fed while the slots are being cut therein, the view being in top plan.

Fig. 2 is a view of the slot cutting means, the view being partly in vertical longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 42.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing means for feeding the screws, the pivoted controlling arms being closed at their delivery end.

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the adjustable mounting of the saw shafts.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a plurality of belt conveyers comprising a` series of'links having recesses inl one face thereof. the recesses of complementary links when the belts are in operative position, furnishing supporting means for the screws, while the saws are being operated for cutting the slots.

One of these belts is indicated by 10, the other by 12, and the wheels for supporting and driving the belts are shown at 14, 15, 16 and 17. Links 18 eah have concaved recesses 19, in one face tlfereof, and the links maybe provided with apertured lugs or ears 20 on the opposite ends, one of said ears being provided centrally of the link at one end, and two ears being located at the opposite end of the link. e

Belt 10 may be substantially taut and belt 12 mounted to run somewhat more loosely, the upper run of the belt being supported by a resilient device or devices 25 for the purpose of retaining the screws firmly while the'slots are being cut. The screws are fed from the chute or guide 26,

Specification of Letters Patent.

a trip 27 being provided at one end of the chute, and at the point where the screwsvv are received by the belts.

The slots 'have been cut in the screws by means of the saws, referred to below, they are discharged and drop into receptacle 30 located at one end.

A plurality of saws may be provided in order to cut slots of the proper size for varying sizes of screws, or if the machine is to be built for handling screws of about the same size, one saw will be su'fiicient. rIhe ysaws are shown at 31, 32 and 33, and any saw may be thrown into operative position by means of its operating device or lever indicated by 35.

Shafts 40 on which the saws are mounted are journaled in spring-held bearing blocks 4l operating within U-shaped guides or brackets 42 shown in Fig. 5 as being secured below one of the frame members 8. The position or elevation of block 41 is controlled by lever arms 35 and cam members 35. said cams bearing against the upper side of frame member 8, and the short shafts 35 on which the cams are mounted raising or lowering links 35h apertured at their lower ends for the accommodation of shaft 4() which extends through the apertures and through blocks 41. These blocks are therefore under the control of the cams, and this construction provides for the control of the saw shafts vin a vertical plane. Springs 43 bear against blocks 41 and against the underside of frame member 8.

The shafts 40 are each provided witha rigidly mounted pulley 38 and a loosely mounted pullev 39, the former serving as a drive pulley. These shafts are slidable at their oppositevends through blocks 41 for the purpose indicated below.

The bridge members of the frame are designated 8 and 9. @ne of these bridge members is carried by the rigid supporting frame shown in the upper portion of Fig. 1 aud the other of said bridge members is carried by the movable frame shown in the lower portion of the same ligure. The stationary supporting frame includes uprights l, side bars 2, end bars 3 and transverse guides4 cooperating with complementary guides a carried bv the movable frame in which the conveyer 12 is mounted. This frame-wis designated and supports vertical shafts 61 and 62 driving wheels 15 and 17. The

-frame 60 is adjustable laterally by means Patented lune 111, 1918.

Application filed J' une 2, 1917. Serial No. 172,459. y I f of lever 25 coperating with segment 25", said lever being slotted at 61 and engaging a pin 62 in bracket 63 projecting laterally from the frame. The lever is pivoted at 64 and is connected by means of bar 65 with pivoted and slotted member 66 adapted to oscillate like lever 25 and in a direction for producing a movement of that end of the frame corresponding to the movement of the other end.

The lateral movement of the frame G0 as above described provides for operating upon screws of different sizes. The inner run of eonveyer 12 is resilently held in position by means of bar 25 under the influence of springs 7 pivotally mounted and bearing against stops 7. The bar 2l on the opposite side serves as a uide for conveyer 10 and need not be resihently mounted.

Vertical shafts 68 and 68 drive wheels 14 and 16 and are driven by a transverse shaft 69 (also driving shafts 61 and 62) through vthe gearing shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and partly shown .in full lines at 70 in Fig. 2. A pulley7 7l imparts movement to shaft 69. A set screw 72 permits of the adjustment of sleeve 7 3 carrying one of the beveled pinions shown at 70 in the lower left hand portion of Fig. 1.

The trip 27 ofthe screw feed device comprises a plurality of arms 44 and 45 pivoted on opposite sides of chute 26 and formed as shown, the deliver ends of thesearms approaching each ot er and then being outwardly turned at 47. Springs 46 serve to retain the arms in normal position. Their opposite ends are inwardly turnedat 4:8 and one screw is fed at a time between the ends 48 when the latter are opened, this screw having first been admitted below sto 48 and "into engagement with the close end members 48. The screw passing downwardly' is released from the lower ends 47 when said ends are forced apart by the shank of the screweoming into positive engagement with the recessed portions of the links of the traveling conveyer's.

Among the advantages of this construetion especial mention lshould be made of the fact that the screws are fed by means of the belt conveyers in a continuous line from the feed guide or chute. This makes it possible to employ a simple construction which is highly effect-ive in carrying out the purpose for which the machine is intended.

W' hat is claimed, is

1. In a screw slotting machine, a plurality of beltrconveyers located opposite each other, and including screw gripping links, means for driving the eonveyers, means for feeding the screws in timed relation to the operation of the conveyers and the movement of the successive links, and means for cutting slots in the screws.

2. lin a Screw slotting machine, a plurality of belt convey'e'rs including a series of links having recesses in the free sides thereof, the recesses of the links of the oppositely located belts coperating to form yscrew holding receptacles, means for driving the conveyers, means for feeding the screws 1n timed relation to the operation of the conveyers and the movement of the successive links, and means for cutting the slots therein.

3. In a sci'eu'slotting machine, means for feeding the screws, means continuously traveling in substantially parallel planesl for a given distance for holding the screws while having slots cut '1n the heads thereof and comprising a plurality of screw holding devices and feeding means operated in timed relation with the screw holding devices, and a saw mounted adjacent to the screw holding means.

4. In a. screw slotting machine, means for holding the screws comprising a plurality of members operating in parallelism and including oppositely located screw holding devices, one of which is resiliently held in position, means for feeding screws comprising a plurality of pivoted members operated in timed relation to the screw holding devices, and a saw Afor cutting the slots in the heads of the screws, said pivoted members being separated at their discharge end by the movement of a screw carried forward by the movement of the parallel screw holding members.

5. In a screw slotting machine, a plurality of conveying devices, means for feeding the screws thereto, a plurality of circular saws of different sizes for cutting slots of varying widths in the heads of the screws, means for throwing the saws into operation independently of each other.

6. In a screw slotting machine, a plurality of belt conveyers comprising recessed links, the recesses of oppositely located links cooperating to form a screw holding device, means for feeding the screws, a plurality of saws of different thicknesses, and operating means connected with each saw and adapted to throw a given saw into operative position independently of the remaining saws.

7. 'In a screw slotting machine, a device for receiving the screws to be slotted, a tripping device located at one end thereof, a plurality of conveyers oppositelyT located, having recessed cooperating links for holding the screws between the convcyers, and a plurality of saws of different widths for cutting slots of varying sizes, with means for operating the saws independently.

8. In a screw slotting machine, a device for receiving the screws to be slotted, a tripping device for feeding the screws, a plurality of conveyors oppositely located, having recessed cooperating links for holding the screws between the conveyors, and a plurality of saws of different thicknesses for the screws between the conveyer's, and a plurality of saws of different thicknesses for cutting slots of varying sizes, and means for operating the saws independently, said feeding device comprising a plurality of springheld delivery members pivotally mounted at rpoints intermediate their ends and adapted to be spread apart for discharging a screw in position to be operated upon.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

CHARLES E. BOTENSTEIN. 

